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Thread: How many of you love to touch type?

  1. #51
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    I actually do like doing touch typing, it gives me a satisfying click every time I type a letter, and it also works a LOT faster than just looking and pressing.

  2. #52
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    I type by touch/muscle memory but don't touch type in the conventional sense. I use my left thumb for the space bar, left little finger for the shift key, right little finger for enter, and then index to ring fingers on the left hand for the left side of the keyboard, right index finger for the right side of the keyboard, and right ring finger for backspace.

    It's a somewhat strange way of typing but I accurately get 80-90 wpm from it. I've tried learning to touch type in the conventional way a few times but from what I read I wonder if it's really worth persevering, as I may not actually get any faster than I am now but will be considerably slower while I'm learning to touch type. In any case, I generally find that the thing that slows me down most is actually my speed of thought so even if I can knock out more words per minute, unless I'm copying something to the computer (which is rare for me), I won't actually do the things I normally do any faster at all!

    Has anyone else found themselves in a similar position? What did you do, and has it improved your computing experience?
    Matthew
    Current Xubuntu machine (old, quite slow, and past its 10th birthday, yet still surprisingly functional): Celeron 633 MHz | 320 MB RAM | Xubuntu 9.10

  3. #53
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    Quote Originally Posted by JKyleOKC View Post
    This can happen only for a specific make and model of keyboard, unfortunately. Today's computer keyboards have many different layouts of the special keys.
    After some experimentation, I find you are correct. I like using the Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 because of the soft leather rests and curvature for the natural hand position. And as far as typing speed, I am barely hitting 12 wpm.

  4. #54
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    For anyone who wants to increase typing speed, here are some pointers:

    1. When you type, lift your wrists so they barely touch the pads. You can't really get fast if your arm weight is crushing your flesh into the tendons in your wrists.
    2. Practice regularly, even if that is mostly forum posting or emailing friends.
    3. Don't ever look at the keyboard unless it's a model you don't plan on using again.
    4. Get the same model of keyboard for all your computers. Even at work.
    5. Look at either the screen, in the case where you are composing as you type or taking audible dictation, or look at the material if you're copying from a paper manuscript.
    6. In the case of copying, read the page as words rather than as letters.
    7. Look up the latest on proper posture for office environments, then follow it. This includes everything from position and height of your monitor to keyboard position to the placement of your feet and the height of your chair. This might not matter much if you only spend a few hours a week in the chair, but if you spend any significant time then it's critical.

  5. #55
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1clue View Post
    For anyone who wants to increase typing speed, here are some pointers:

    1. When you type, lift your wrists so they barely touch the pads. You can't really get fast if your arm weight is crushing your flesh into the tendons in your wrists.
    2. Practice regularly, even if that is mostly forum posting or emailing friends.
    3. Don't ever look at the keyboard unless it's a model you don't plan on using again.
    4. Get the same model of keyboard for all your computers. Even at work.
    5. Look at either the screen, in the case where you are composing as you type or taking audible dictation, or look at the material if you're copying from a paper manuscript.
    6. In the case of copying, read the page as words rather than as letters.
    7. Look up the latest on proper posture for office environments, then follow it. This includes everything from position and height of your monitor to keyboard position to the placement of your feet and the height of your chair. This might not matter much if you only spend a few hours a week in the chair, but if you spend any significant time then it's critical.
    Point 1. I had already noted here just on doubled my word rate (keeping accuracy about the same). I still only manage 30-35 wpm (on a good day). I see several points there that will be useful here in future.

    Point 6. is interesting, I have "clicked into" that mode of typing on 1 or 2 occasions, rates climb dramatically (45 and up), it actually felt "a bit freaky", when the fingers get a mind of their own

    Good advice, imo. cheers.
    Last edited by coldcritter64; December 25th, 2012 at 01:38 AM. Reason: sp.

  6. #56
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1clue View Post

    Practice regularly ...
    There are some excellent points there, 1clue, but this is the kicker. As I mentioned, check your speed, then do half an hour a day serious practice and check your speed at the end of the week. Improvement guaranteed ...
    Last edited by Bucky Ball; December 26th, 2012 at 01:29 PM.

  7. #57
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    Mar 2009
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    Once you get the hang of it, touch typing should be completely automatic and as natural as speaking.

  8. #58
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    I touch type too. I learned basic in the middle school, but i still wanna improve my typing skills, so i am using online tutorials:http://www.ratatype.com/, http://www.typingweb.com/ They are very effective in terms of learning.

  9. #59
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    Holy resurrected thread, batman! This thread is over 8 months old!

  10. #60
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    Re: How many of you love to touch type?

    I love touch typing, really enjoy it. It's kinda relaxing/therapeutic. I feel a similar way when playing bass guitar and my fingers just know what to do. Learned how to do it about 10 years ago while doing a computer course with the OU. The program we used was called "Kaz typing tutor" IIRC, it was really good. Plenty of FOSS solutions out there for learning how to touch type I'm sure.. Anyway I thought I'd never get the hang of it at the beginning but after a week of slogging away (and breaking a few keyboards) I was on my way and built up speed over time so I'm pretty decent now. I'm learning how to program at the moment and it's certainly making my life a little easier in that respect. It got me a few data entry jobs here and there also. One of the best things I ever learned I have to say, no regrets.. : ]
    Last edited by stevesy; August 8th, 2013 at 09:39 PM.

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